Sweeney: Economy now, marriage.....well, later

As difficult as some may find it, you have to feel just a little bit sorry for Senate President-elect Steve Sweeney.

In what was supposed to be his moment of high political triumph --- his selection as the leader of the State Senate --- he was subjected to a beatdown by two of his key allies over his refusal to agree to consideration and a vote on legislation to permit same sex marriage in New Jersey.

First, Bergen County Sen. Loretta Weinberg, the party’s nominee for lieutenant governor, accused Sweeney of reneging on a pledge to bring the legislation to the Senate floor before the end of the Corzine Administration.

A few days later, Union County Sen. Ray Lesniak whose defection from current Senate President Dick Codey is credited with swinging the selection to Sweeney, released a letter he wrote urging the Senate to consider the bill before the current session adjourns to make way for the inauguration of Governor-elect Chris Christie.

Sweeney tried to blunt the criticism by suggesting that it was more important for the Senate to address the economy and the state’s fiscal and budget deficit issues in what remains of the session and delay action on the same sex marriage legislation until a later time.

His critics weren’t satisfied, of course, and for good reason. Gov. Corzine has said repeatedly he would sign into law legislation granting the full benefits of traditional marriage to same sex couples while Christie has said just as often that he’d veto such a bill.

Sweeney’s promise to consider the bill “at a later time” is meaningless. Once Christie takes office and reiterates his veto pledge, he will argue that it’s pointless to bring it to the floor and force his members to cast what for some will be a politically perilous vote on a bill which will not become law in any event.

Other Senators who oppose acting now say that the bill should not be put to a vote unless they receive advance assurances there are sufficient votes to approve it --- another method to avoid forcing legislators to take a public position.

Even if the bill wins legislative approval, there is no chance that there will be sufficient votes to override a gubernatorial veto.

Sweeney is caught between the insistence of those of his members who want to avoid the issue at all costs and those such as Weinberg and Lesniak who view a continued refusal to act as a breach of faith with the gay community --- traditional Democratic Party supporters --- as well as turning the party’s back on its progressive principles.

While polls show a slim margin of support for the legalization of same sex marriage, they also show that a very small number of people view the issue as important.

While these numbers would suggest that a vote on the legislation is less damaging than many believe, the nervousness remains for legislators who fear a public pronouncement --- for or against --- could become a serious campaign issue in two years with the potential to dominate their re-election debate.

The much safer course, they argue, is the one Sweeney seems to have chosen --- do nothing now and concentrate on turning public attention toward the more critical ongoing and persistent economic woes. After Christie is inaugurated, the pressure to act is relieved and the entire issue vanishes.

The Republicans seemed to have staked out the more politically secure course by calling for a voter referendum on a Constitutional amendment to either permit or prohibit same sex marriages.

Any Republican who opposes the legalization can maintain that position while contending he or she is sufficiently open minded and willing to abide by the expressed desire of the people in a referendum. Ditto for any Republican who supports the legislation.

The Republicans have succeeded in removing themselves from the more rancorous aspects of the debate, the very ones that Sweeney is dealing with now.

Supporters of same sex marriage are wary of the referendum proposal because, should a Constitutional prohibition be approved, it will end forever any hope of legalization unless protracted and expensive litigation results in a court overturning the referendum results.

At the same time, if the Legislature refuses to act prior to Christie assuming office, it ends for at least four years --- and potentially eight years --- any chance of the enactment of a same sex marriage law.

Sweeney is, of course, correct in his assessment that the Legislature should spend its time more productively by grappling with economic and budget issues because they have a far more significant impact on the lives and futures of New Jerseyans.

However, as candidate Barack Obama once said about candidate John McCain: “Government is able to do more than one thing at a time.”

So, while some may feel sympathy for Sweeney’s political dilemma, it’s important to keep in mind it’s one he wanted, fought for, and won. It’s his territory now.